Pactiv to Build Major Expansion to Georgia Plant

July 11, 2005
Beech Island plastics plant to get 20,000-s.f. addition

Packaging company Pactiv Corp. plans to build a 20,000-square-foot addition at its Beech Island plastics plant that will boost production and create about 30 new jobs.

The manufacturing facility, which makes Hefty brand tableware and polystyrene packaging for the food service industry, expects the expansion to be completed during the first quarter of 2006.

"We are looking to bring these people on now so we will have them trained and ready to go when (the expansion) is completed," Pactiv spokeswoman Lisa Foss said.

Ms. Foss said the expansion is in response to increased customer demand for the products.

The company declined to disclose its investment in the expansion, but building permits on file with Aiken County values the construction alone at $506,000.

The nearly 300,000-square-foot facility on Old Jackson Highway currently employs 225 and has been expanded several times during the past 30 years.

The plant was built in 1974 by Amoco Plastic Products Co., which was acquired by Tenneco Inc. in 1996. Tenneco spun its packaging operations off into a separate company called Pactiv in 1999.

Lake Forest, Ill.-based Pactiv manufactures Hefty brand products such as Cinch Sak trash bags, Zoo Pals disposable plates and EZ Foil cookware. It also makes take-out food containers for restaurants and supermarkets.

The Beech Island facility, which once made the clamshell-style foam containers formerly used by McDonald's, primarily produces containers for the food service industry.